internal working model

• what did bowlby research

  the internal working model and its influence on later relationships
• what did bowlby find

  found that the quality of a child's first attachment is crucial because it provides a template that will affect the nature of their future relationships
• what will a child with a good first experience of relationship be like

  • a child whose first experience is of a loving relationship with a reliable caregiver will assume this is how all human relationships are meant to be
  • they will them seek out loving relationships and behave them within them
• what will child with a bad first experience of relationships expect

  • a child with bad experiences of their first attachment will assume this is how all human relationships are
  • they will struggle to form relationships in the first place or they do not behave appropriately in them
• what did kerns find

  • found that securely attached infants tend to do on to form the best quality childhood friendships and securely attached infants are less likely to be involved in bullying
  • insecure avoidant children are most likely to be victims
  • insecure resistant are most likely to be bullies
• what did Hazen and shaver find in the love quiz

  • analyzed 620 replies to the love quiz printed in the newspaper
  • quiz assessed 3 aspects of relationships: current most important relationship general love experience and attachment type
  • found 56% securely attached
  • 25% insecure avoidant
  • 19% insecure resistant
  • attachment types was reflected in romantic relationships:

  1. secure - most likely to have good long lasting relationships
  2. avoidant - tended to be jealous and fear intimacy
• what is a strength of influence of early attachment on later relationships (PEEL) (Hazen and shaver)

  P - hazen and shaver analyzed 620 replies to a love quiz printed in a newspaper

  E - the quiz assessed the respondents love and relationship experiences and their attachment type

  E - they found that securely attached respondents were the most likely to have good and long lasting romantic relationships, avoidant respondents tended to be jealous and fear intimacy

  L - this study shows that early attachment type can affect a person's later adult relationship
• what is a limitation of influence of early attachment on later relationships (PEEL) (cause)

  P - several studies indicate associations but this is not the same as causation

  E - we know there is an association but cannot conclude that early attachment cause the later relationship behaviour there are alternative explanations for the continuity that exists between infant relationships and later relationships

  E - for example, the child's temperament may influence both their infant attachment and quality of later relationship

  L - this is a limitation because it is counter to Bowlby view that the internal working model causes the later relationship types
• what is a limitation of influence of early attachment on later relationships (PEEL) (exaggerated)

  P - the influence of infant attachment on later relationship is exaggerated

  E - we should not suppose that people are doomed to always have bad relationships if they have had a poor early attachment experience it is more likely that they have greater risks

  E - for example clarke and clarke describe that the influence of infant attachments on later relationships is probable but not fixed because as humans we have free will to choose to improve relationships

  L - this suggests that the internal working model should not be considered a fixed predictor of later relationships